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What we wear says a lot about who we are. In fact, research has shown that style is one of the main ways we send social signals because it reveals part of our identity.
Psychologists have also long believed that style is important and that to feel authentic and confident, we should dress according to our personality. While this might sound simple, many of us find it tricky to find and wear clothes that truly represent our character.
With this in mind, we’ve pulled together some of the best tips for finding and adopting your style personality.
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What are the benefits of dressing for your personality?
Unlike early civilisations, where the key purpose of clothing was to keep us warm, clothing today has developed from a practical asset into a display and expression of personality. Just as our friends, hobbies, and interests provide an insight into who we are, so do our clothing choices.
How we dress can significantly impact how we feel about ourselves, too. When we feel happy with how we’ve presented ourselves, we’re more likely to feel good internally, which can boost self-esteem.
Finding your ‘style personality’ is a key part of this, as it’s at times when we feel most like ourselves that we go out into the world more confident and ready to face the day.
Discovering your style personality
Some of us might already have a good idea of our style personality, while for others, it might not feel so clear.
For those in the first camp, we’ve explored six different style personalities that you might find useful.
Remember, not every detail of a particular style personality has to speak to you, but it might help give you some ideas.
1. Timeless classic
The timeless classic personality style is usually drawn to refined clothing and minimalist accessories. Quality fabrics, well-structured, clean shapes, classic styles, and coordinated outfits are preferable over the latest trends.
Popular pieces include blazers, pencil skirts, dark denim, pearls, and crisp white blouses.
Timeless classic personality types often feel the need to be put together, even for casual or leisure activities. They’ll typically avoid fussy clothing, prints, and patterns – except perhaps for an odd stripe or discreet logo – as well as bright colours, typically keeping things neutral instead.
2. Natural ease
Natural-ease personality styles tend to prioritise comfort over cost or the latest fashions. As such, people with this personality type often dress in simple, low-key, no-fuss outfits made of natural fabrics, like cotton and linen.
This doesn’t mean looking scruffy. In fact, people with this personality tend to pull off the effortlessly stylish look.
Favourable items often include cotton shirts, loose trousers, maxi skirts, chic trainers, slouchy knitwear, and minimal makeup.
3. Romantic
People with a romantic style usually gravitate towards soft fabrics, floral patterns, silk blouses, floaty midi skirts, and traditional, delicate accessories like pearls.
Asymmetric hemlines, long sleeves, and almost Bohemian styles are also popular, while formal, business-style suits in dark colours are often avoided.
4. Bold maximalist
People with a bold maximalist style tend to favour bright, often contrasting colours, exotic shapes, and prints to make an entrance and stand out from the crowd.
It’s common for people with this personality style to want to make the most of accessorising their look with large, standout pieces to add intrigue and statement.
5. Edgy chic
People with an edgy chic personality style tend to resist mainstream trends and create their own rules, viewing fashion as a bit of a creative playground.
The preferred palette is darker tones or deep, moody colours, like burgundy, forest green, and electric blue. Colours will often be complementary rather than contrasting.
Edgy chic personalities might also have a fondness for sturdy materials like denim and leather, clothing with alluring cut-outs, tattoo-style patterns, and accessories like fishnet tights.
6. Free spirit
Free spirit personality types tend to dress uniquely, uninfluenced by style rules.
Their wardrobe is usually filled with unusual items in different colours, textures, prints, and statement jewellery, often from vintage or charity shops.
People with this personality type are often inspired by the bohemian lifestyle, which traditionally represents artistic and intellectual individuals who live unconventionally.
4 tips to dress for your style personality
Once you’ve identified your style personality (or at least the ones that you identify with the most), there are a few things you can do to start dressing for it a bit more.
1. Discover how you want your clothes to make you feel
If you’re struggling to identify your style personality, asking yourself how you want your clothes to make you feel can be a useful tool. For example, do you want your clothes to make you feel confident, powerful, creative, and sexy?
The effect that clothing can have on how we feel can’t be understated. In this study, 96% of participants said their emotional state changes depending on the style of clothing they wear. So, determining what you’d like to achieve with your look can be a helpful way to guide your style.
For example, if you want to stand out from the crowd, you could include a bold animal print in your outfit. Or, to feel strong and confident, why not go for a classic tailored suit? Research has shown that wearing a suit can, in fact, make us feel more powerful.
2. Find your colour palette
Colour is a powerful tool in fashion and can evoke all kinds of feelings and moods. For example, this study found that 90% of consumers’ first impressions are based on colour alone.
As such, the colours you wear can have a huge impact on your overall look and how you feel about yourself. For example, according to colour psychology studies, red reflects power, energy, and strength, while blue generates a calm, relaxed, integral vibe.
If this sounds appealing but you’re unsure which colours would suit you best, you might be interested in having a colour analysis.
This can be done either online or in person and will identify shades that physiologically complement your natural tones, enhance your skin’s glow, help your eye colour pop, and give you a healthy, youthful look.
To learn more about colour and the brain, check out our article: Colour psychology – how it affects mood, behaviour, and feelings.
3. Build your wardrobe around your main style personality, but don’t be afraid to dip into others
It’s common for everyone’s style to fall into two or three personality styles, with one being dominant. For example, someone’s style may be mostly timeless classic, but also have features of sassy chic.
To feel most like yourself, it’s generally helpful to build your wardrobe around your main style personality.
However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t also dip freely into other style personalities when you want or need to. This is important, as there’ll be times in life when you might need to adapt your style to dress for certain occasions.
For example, someone whose style essence is fashion-led may need to borrow aspects from other personality styles – for example, a more elegant, chic, or timeless classic look – to dress appropriately for occasions such as an interview or wedding.
Equally, it can be fun to experiment with other styles, too, to explore what feels good for you.
Remember, personality style doesn’t have to be all or nothing, but it’s a powerful tool for expressing yourself without saying a word.
4. Get inspiration from shops and figures who match your style
If you’ve identified your style personality but would like some help building your wardrobe, it can help to use outside resources for inspiration.
For example, you could look to celebrity figures who have the same style personality as you for outfit ideas, and visit shops and brands that specialise in that kind of look.
Below are a few examples…
| Personality style type | Examples of celebrities with this style | Retail shops |
| Romantic | Nicole Kidman, Christina Hendricks, Gwyneth Paltrow | Oasis, Whistles, Phase Eight, and Laura Ashley |
| Free spirit | Florence Welch, Helena Bonham Carter, Kate Moss | Monsoon, Apricot, and vintage shops |
| Timeless classic | Kate Winslet, Julianne Moore, Kate Middleton, Audrey Hepburn, and Grace Kelly | Hobbs, Whistles, Jaeger, Marks and Spencer, and Zara |
| Edgy chic | Victoria Beckham, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sarah Jessica Parker | Lipsy, Vivian Westwood, and Cache |
| Bold maximalist | Amy Winehouse, Kylie Minogue, Gwen Stefani, Sharon Osborne, and Cher | Kitri, Never Fully Dressed, and Phoebe Grace |
| Natural ease | Sandra Bullock, Julia Roberts, and Elle McPherson | White Stuff, Seasalt, Boden, and Hush |
Final thoughts…
Personal style is a powerful form of self-expression and a wonderful way to communicate who you are. It’s one of the first things we notice about each other and, among other things, can boost our confidence and help us feel comfortable in our own skin.
Plus, by taking the time to understand what style means and looks like to you, you’ll likely learn much about yourself in the process.
For more style tips, head over to our fashion and beauty section. Here, you’ll find everything from nail care to shopping sustainably.
How does your style reflect your personality? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
* Links with an * by them are affiliate links which help Rest Less stay free to use as they can result in a payment or benefit to us. You can read more on how we make money here.
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